Janice Joseph-Richard: Louisiana Sports Hall of Famer

6/27/2016 6:00:00 PM

By: LC Sports Information

On Saturday June 25, the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame added 11 new members to its ranks as the best of the best in sports from the state of Louisiana. The 2016 class included the likes of long time LSU radio commentator Jim Hawthorne, NBA star P.J. Brown, NFL running back Anthony Thomas, MLB All-Star Ben Sheets, and Louisiana College's own and the lone female of the 2016 class, Janice Joseph-Richard.

Richard, born and raised in Alexandria, attended Peabody Magnet High School before becoming a Wildcat in 1982. Her playing career at LC still ranks as one of the best in school history, with over 2,300 points, 700 assists, four All-Gulf Coast Athletic Conference honors and a two-time All-American. She was able to lead the team during the 1985-86 season, her senior year, to a 31-3 overall record, a No. 1 national ranking, and a third-place finish in the NAIA Tournament.Janice's Family including sisters Pam and Lillian

5192 — Janice's family including sisters Pam and Lillian along with teammate Lori Thames

Frank Schneider, one of Richard's coaches during her time at LC, saw potential in the future Hall of Famer and moved her from center, the position she played in high school, to point guard. After her freshman year the transition to the new spot on the floor was paying dividends due to Richard's incredible work ethic.

"Some days she'd leave after practice and catch a bus to England Air Force Base and play more with the guys at the base," Schneider said. "That's rare; to practice two hours and then go out and play some more."

Fellow Hall of Famer Shelia Thompson, who coached the Wildcats during the magical 1985-86 season, said that Janice was "vital" to the success of the team that year.

"She was our clear go-to player when we needed someone to score," Johnson said. "No one could match up with her. She was so good at pulling up and hitting the short jump shot form the corner of the foul line. Our opponents would concentrate on her so much that it created opportunities for her teammates."

After her playing career ended, Janice was given the opportunity to take over the women's basketball program at Xavier University of New Orleans. From 1992-98 Richard amassed a 159-34 record, the best winning percentage (.824) in school history, and guided the program to five straight regular season and tournament championship in the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference.

Her success at Xavier drew the attention of a struggling San Jose State team that had gone 30-107 in the five years before Richard's arrival in 1999, with just one winning season in the previous 16 years. Janice was able lead the team in seven years to three winning seasons and an overall record of 93-106.

Her no-nonsense approach to coaching is what made her a success at Xavier, San Jose State, and Louisiana College. Longtime Xavier coach Bo Browder, who was also an assistant under Richard, said, "She was demanding of her players and coaches, but honest with them as well. She held everyone to a higher standard. If you weren't doing your job well, she'd let you know, but she always brought out the best in everyone."

5193 — Teammates Toma Greene Epps, Tracy Amacker, Kathy Gonzales Goudeau

Her resolve and strength were evident throughout her career as a player and coach, and then it shined even brighter after a being diagnosed with breast cancer in 2006. Through the trials and demands of treatment against her illness she continued to surround herself with the game she loved so much. After stepping down from San Jose State, Richard returned to Pineville and Louisiana College and brought the Wildcat women's basketball program to the same heights she saw as a player. LC went 55-23 in three seasons under Richard, including a 24-3 mark, American Southwest Conference championship, and a No. 14 national ranking in 2009-10, her final year.

Janice passed away on December 1, 2010 at the age of 46, having touched countless lives along the way and leaving an indelible mark on the basketball communities of CenLa, New Orleans, and San Jose.

LC President Dr. Rick Brewer said, "Louisiana College was blessed by Janice Joseph-Richard as both a student-athlete and a coach. The addition of Coach Richard to the group of prestigious members of the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame is a fitting, lasting tribute to her reputation as an athlete, coach, and Christian leader."

On the night of her induction into the Hall of Fame, Lyn Rollins introduced Janice with these words, "Some people are great players, some are great coaches; Janice Joseph-Richard indeed was both. It's not only the stats and the victories that people will remember. It's her Courage, and the way that she lived her life that will never be forgotten by those of us who knew her."

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